5 worst trades in Minnesota Vikings history

2.  Fran Tarkenton goes East

The best quarterback in Vikings history was not on a Hall of Fame career track yet in 1967, six seasons into his career. Days before Bud Grant was hired as the new head coach, Tarkenton was sent to the New York Giants for four draft picks on March 7, 1967.

Those draft picks became running back Clinton James, wide receiver Bob Grim, offensive tackle Ron Yary and offensive lineman Ed White. So the return actually wasn’t bad, with Grim playing seven seasons as a Viking, Yary going first overall and becoming a Hall of Famer over 14 seasons in Minnesota and White earning three Pro Bowl nods in nine seasons as a Viking.

But five seasons of Tarkenton’s prime were spent in a Giants uniform, where he earned four Pro Bowl selections and finished third in MVP voting once (1970). The Vikings won four straight division titles from 1968-1971 and went to a Super Bowl with Joe Kapp as their quarterback in 1969.

Gary Cuozzo and Bob Lee were the Vikings’ primary quarterbacks in 1970 and 1971. It’s safe to assume, as much of the core of teams that ultimately went to four Super Bowls was being built and coming into its own, the Vikings would have been better offensively with Tarkenton under center — especially those last two seasons he was gone. Pair that with the “Purple People Eaters” defense, and who knows?, maybe they reach another Super Bowl or dare I say win one if Tarkenton hadn’t spent some “gap years” in New York.

The Vikings won six straight division titles (1973-1978) and went to three more Super Bowls with Tarkenton under center in the 70s. They reached a conference title game as well and would have reached another conference title game under today’s rules (see Drew Pearson push-of) during that era.

The placement of the Tarkenton trade to the Giants high on this list is rooted in missed opportunity when he was gone. At least Jim Finks righted the wrong in 1972 and brought Tarkenton back to where he belonged.